The club's board of directors met on Monday morning at the club's offices to discuss their response to the allegations.

A statement released on Barcelona's
official website said: 'The board denies the existence of any tax
related crime in relation to the fiscal obligations arising from the
signing of the player.'

It
went on to say that the club would continue to collaborate with the
courts and the tax authorities to clarify the facts and that it would
present a legal defence if necessary.

The
statement added: 'Given the existence of a possible divergent
interpretation of the exact amount of tax responsibility arising from
the signing and to defend the Club’s reputation and good name, FC
Barcelona has this morning made a complementary tax declaration of a
total of €13,550,830,56 to cover any potential interpretation made
concerning the contracts signed in the transfer process for Neymar,
although we remain convinced that the original tax payment was in line
with our fiscal obligations.'

Neymar arrived at the Nou Camp for a £48.6million in the summer, though they later admitted the transfer fee was much higher. He has so far scored 12 goals in 29 appearances in all competitions.

Down: Neymar falls to the ground during a match against Real Sociedad

Protest: Neymar gesticulates during Barcelona's defeat in San Sebastian

Expensive: The Brazilian star arrived at the Nou Camp from Santos in the summer for £48.6million, though the real figure is believed to be much higher

Barcelona were forced on the defensive
over the Neymar deal after a club member filed a complaint against
President Sandro Rosell, alleging misappropriation of funds.

Rosell, who denied wrongdoing, stepped
down saying he wanted to clear his name and protect the club's image.
But when details of Neymar's signing came to light the judge overseeing
the case granted the prosecutor's request to lay charges for tax fraud.

After
Rosell's exit, Barcelona admitted he had cost £71.2m, including
payments to the player and his family, and not £48.6m as they
originally said.

The judge
requested Barca's tax records relating to the deal and had asked the tax
authority to calculate the scale of the alleged fraud.

Clearing his name: The Barcelona president Sandro Rosell stood down from his post to clear his name over the Neymar allegations

Barcelona paid a company owned by Neymar’s parents, N&N (Neymar and Nadine) the sum of £33m which they argue was a penalty clause established in a contract signed in 2011 to be paid if they purchased the player before 2014, as they did last summer.

They also entered into various agreements with Neymar’s father including an agreement to pay him for scouting players in Brazil and for finding South American commercial partners for Barcelona.

This has left the club open to the suggestion that the extra contracts were, in fact, a form of disguised wages – money that, in effect, ended up as income to the player and should have been taxed as such.

As a non-Spanish resident during the tax period in question, once interpreted as income, this money would taxable at 24.75 per cent.